Q: I am a high BP patient taking daily Amlopress AT, Tenormin 50, Listril 2.5 in addition to Ecosprin 75 for the last 7 years. Whenever I go to a dentist for dental procedures, I have been asked to skip Ecosprin for a week prior to dental treatment. Will it affect my system if I suddenly stop consuming it?

A:Ecosprin is given to make the blood thin so that it does not form clots - this is important for heart patients. However, this can be a disadvantage when there is bleeding as during a surgical procedure, because the blood will not clot and the surgical site will continue to bleed. In many dental procedures there is bleeding from the gums and especially, if you need to have a tooth extracted, there is actually a wound formed. Hence it is necessary to stop Ecosprin 2 or 3 days before such a procedure. This does not endanger your system in any way.